The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo – RNA also Republican Nation – RN is an Igbo traditional, regional, or provincial self-administration. The entity is designed to kick off as a micronation concept and grow into a full-fledged Igbo regional government with the capacity of self-administration for the Igbos. Its other names include Igbo Regional Government, Igbo Province, and AlaIgbo Autonomous or self-administration.
It shall run a republican-natured administration for the Igbo Nation. While it may sound like a political science experiment, the fact it is a Republican administration makes it effective. This is because Republican entities drive their power from the people as such, so far there are Igbos pledging allegiance to the system, then it is effective.
Capital
The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo designates Enugu as its capital. This is in line with the tradition of Enugu as the capital of old Eastern Nigeria. Enugu was also the capital of the defunct Biafra and at the moment the capital of the South East geopolitical zone. Enugu is also of strategic importance. It has the right amenities and has constantly featured among the world’s most resilient cities. Enugu is also a city where all Igbos feel at home.
Origin
The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo emerged as a result of the long-standing Igbo nationalist drive. It is based on the principles of the Igbo Nation as one of and arguably the oldest Republican administrations in the world. It should be noted that while Pluto was debating the virtues of a republic in Ancient Greece, the Igbo Nation already has the Ummunna, Umuada, Oha Obodo, and more, all of which are traditional administrative systems based on Republican principles.
The RN administration shall embody the Republican Igbo tradition to lead a system of traditional or regional governance where all Igbos will feel a sense of belonging.
RN Relationship with Nigeria
It must be known that while AlaIgbo in Nigeria remains the native territory of the Igbos and as well Nigeria is the country with the highest population of Igbo people, the spread of the Igbo Nation is not limited to Nigeria. The RN is a worldwide administration. While the primary focus is on Nigeria, let it be understood that there are proud Igbo as far away as Haiti, the United States, the Caribbean Nations, etc.
These Igbos while having migrated to such territories a long time ago now trace back their root. They are no longer migrants in such vicinity but natives. If they tried to trace back their root, they would only find a Nation, they would no longer see their families in the Igbo mainland. Some of these Igbos were victims of slave trade and its associated human trafficking. Given these situations, such Igbos have earned nativity in such places.
A great percentage of black Americans also trace their ancestry to Igboland then it is realistic to see that while the Republican Nation of AlaIgbo is indeed connected to AlaIgbo in Nigeria as broader ancestral land, the prospect is far beyond the Federal Republic of Nigeria. With over 350 tribes in Nigeria, it can be seen that welding Nigeria into a homogeneous country has proven chaotic and impossible. The framework of Nigeria may or may not continue to work if the identity, freedom, and self-determination of constituent Nations are further jeopardized.
The Igbo Nation as one of the three major nationalities in Nigeria can initiate a change of direction in the Nigerian project and that’s exactly what the RN aims to achieve. While a majority of the Republican Nation of AlaIgbo activities will rely on the constitution and respect to the Federal Republic of Nigeria as where AlaIgbo (the native land of all Igbos across the world) is situated, it is important to understand that the scope of the RN is way beyond the Federal Republic of Nigerian territories as such will not be entirely subject to such prescription of the Nigerian state.
However, the provisions of the Nigerian state may or may not reign supreme in such issues relating to the activities of the RN administration within the Nigerian territories. Until there’s such a constitutional commandment where Nigeria first recognizes the Igbo Nation and other Nationalities as a crucial aspect of the territorial makeup of the country, then the government of Nigeria has very limited jurisdiction over the traditional affairs of the Igbo Nation.
The RNA will always avail ourselves through our administration to seek further interpretation of laws of affected countries, this doesn’t just apply to Nigeria but Haiti, the United States, and other places where the Igbos now have native populations. The Nigerian constitution mainly recognizes the 36 states and capital as the official administrative structure of the country.
The tribes therein were acknowledged but not given any priority structural or administrative significance. In the eyes of the constitution of the Federal Republic, only Nigerians exist but Igbos, Hausa, and Yorubas don’t; as such the RN will operate in Nigeria as Nigerians, this applies to every other country where the Igbos are now natives. In such countries, the RN shall operate in line with the laws of such sovereign.
The RN administration shall then operate based on the Igbo principles, culture, worldview, and values. Traditionally, the Igbos are Republicans as such, a Republican self-governance model is what we aspire to build. One that seeks to solve our national challenges as a people. We expect support from every government where the Igbos have become natives.
We also expect cooperation with state governors, senators, rep members, local government chairmen, and other political representatives of the Igbo Nation primarily in Nigeria and other such sovereign arrangements where the Igbos have earned nativity and representation in the administration of such sovereign.
Administrative Structure
The administrative structure of the Republican Nation of AlaIgbo shall embody Republican values. The Igbo people shall be at the helm of the affairs of the entity, given the high population of the Igbos, likely, the traditional Republican model may not be effective but technology may be deployed to ensure that individual voices are heard and that individual suffrage is attained.
Administrative models shall be implemented and announced in the coming days as the people play a more active role in deciding the destiny of the Republican Nation itself. While whoever heads the system shall be elected by the people and such leader of AlaIgbo shall be at liberty to make the appointment that enables the smooth running of the entity, the people are mandated to decide on popular decisions using models that shall be decided by the people in the future.
The place of other political entities
The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo recognizes other political entities including formal and traditional leadership however, having never had a king or queen over all of Igboland, the people shall be the supreme authority of the RN of AlaIgbo. This doesn’t signify the lack of acknowledgment of clan patriarchal or matriarchal systems however about the rest of Igboland, the power to constitutional changes shall be vested in the people where constitutional or law-making responsibilities shall be maintained in line with the will of the people.
The central government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be among the institutions superior to the self-governance of the Igbo people. This is so because when Nigeria is put into perspective, the presidency of Nigeria, the Senate president, the House of Representatives, or the federal judicial system are entities with scope encompassing territories beyond the maps of the AlaIgbo mainland.
The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo shall not be in any Igbo State traditional council. In a situation where a traditional ruler becomes elected in the Republican Nation administration, such a traditional ruler being a member of the traditional ruler council of an Igbo state may or may not be relieved of his duty when the state administration relieves him/her of an administrative role under the chieftain commission.
Regarding Igbos, who are now natives in other countries, depending on the scope of their territory, they shall be loyal to the appropriate authority in the territory under which they fall. This means that if such territory falls under a province, they are first responsible to the province and then the overall authority of such country.
In the case of Nigeria, Igboland goes beyond any single state, goes beyond a single geopolitical zone as such only the central government and its instruments of leadership are considered superior to this assembly and as such in the face of illegal interference by such superior authority, we shall seek redress using the appropriate channel.
Also, the Igbos have substantial representation in the central structure of Nigeria including the presidency and its establishments, the senate, the House of rep and the judiciary as such it would be treason for any superior power to seek to bully the Republican Nation of AlaIgbo or the Igbo people while we go about our legitimate right to association and organization as enshrined in the UN fundamentals and even the constitution of the Federal Republic.
We don’t have the power to decide our future in Nigeria or other countries where Igbos are natives but once the people vested with such power to represent our people in the Nigerian project or other places get a go-ahead from our people to pursue a different destiny and an Igboland-wide outreach and understanding is made, the Republican Nation shall not interfere with the Nigerian choice of our people, we shall fall in line with our people, and our Nigerian representatives if we assess the situation properly and understand with our people.
It is important now to see that the Republican Nation is an Igbo-centric and individualistic administrative system as such is not vested with a sovereign intention as we breaking free from Nigeria doesn’t imply our people breaking free from Haiti or even, the United States or the Caribbean. However while not being our prayer, should Nigeria become unworkable and the other tribes move for a different destiny, the Igbo Nation and indeed, The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo shall respond in the voice of justice and equity.
Republican Nation of AlaIgbo Flag
The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo Flag was designed by Oke Chukwu. An Igbo from Ogwashiukwu in Anioma, AlaIgbo, Nigeria.
Republican Nation of AlaIgbo Flag Description.
The Flag is made of two primary colors, white and orange. White represents the Igbo’s desire for peace and prosperity. Orange represents vigor and enthusiasm towards our nation and people. The Flag also features an eagle and a rising sun. The Eagle represents the strength and keen vision of the Igbos, the eagle soars high; it represents the Igbo desire and pursuit of success and diverse greater heights.
The yellow rising sun represents the crossroad between the Igbo Nigerian destiny and Biafra. Biafra is nicknamed the land of the rising sun, this is only possible as long as Nigeria exists. Without Nigeria, Biafra would be another West African country and would not be in the East any longer.
Biafra represents the East of Nigeria so we can see two entities that rely on each other to survive. Without the continued stay of the Biafran territories in Nigeria, the continuity of Nigeria itself would be questionable. The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo is designed to thrive in a balance appealing to all Igbos irrespective of sovereign preferences. The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo is then calling on all Igbos whether they believe in Nigeria or Biafra to come together and make AlaIgbo greater.
The Scope of the Authority of the RN of AlaIgbo
To understand the capacity of the Republican Nation of AlaIgbo, one has to understand the nature of a true republic. On several occasions, the terms republic and democracy are used interchangeably and often regarded as the same but in reality, they are different.
A republic is individual-focused while a democracy is focused on the people. We are not very much interested in the people, we are interested in the individual. The Republican Nation has no sovereign intention at the moment but is designed to work as an administrative force binding all Igbos all over the world.
While AlaIgbo remains the original place for all Igbos, Igbos are today spread all over the world both as natives and as migrants. The Republican Nation Administration will seek to Engineer an encompassing solution that can be beneficial to all Igbos. With the Republican approach, it won’t matter if you believe in Biafra or believe in Nigeria, or believe in Haiti everyone is welcome.
The Republican Nation of AlaIgbo shall drive its power from the Igbo individual not an act of the majority like a democracy but an act of the united individuals where a win-win is pursued rather than the wish of the majority. In a republican system, the individual has a say and must not always be forced to follow the majority. In the Republican Nation of AlaIgbo, power is with the individual Igbos.
Would the Republican Nation Need any other form of validation to work?
The Republican Nation works so far there’s an Igbo individual who pledges allegiance to the administration. It doesn’t need validation from traditional rulers, it doesn’t need validation from Igbo governors, neither does it need validation from the Nigerian president. As for the Senate and House of rep, the Nigerian constitution recognizes the right to peaceful assembly which is what the Republican Nation is all about.
Until the constitution is amended such that the peaceful assembly of individuals and people within Nigeria is limited then until then, the Republican Nation of AlaIgbo has gotten full validation from the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to operate.
A special regard is given to the laws of Nigeria in this regard because Nigeria is where the Igbo Nation has our biggest territory and as a VETO in Nigeria, we are a huge factor in the constitutional process and we are more interested in abiding by the laws of the Republic than breaking it. And even in events where we are found wanting, we have the right to a fair hearing.
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